Man&#39;s garter.



W. H. JOHNSON.

MANS GARTER. I

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 16, 1910.

Patented Mar. '7, 1911.

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UNITE ATES PATENT caries...

WILLIAM H. JOHNSON, OF REVERE, ASSIGNOR 'ro JAMES A. HEWES AND FRANK W.POTTER, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, COPARTNERS.

MAN S GARTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented litar. '7, 1911.

Application filed November 15, 1910. Serial No. 592,489.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. J or-mson, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Revere, in the county of Suffolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in MensGarters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of garters known as mens garters,which comprises a band adapted to inclose the leg of the wearer, a claspadapted for the attachment of the hose, and a suspending device whichconnects the clasp with the band.

The object of my present invention is to provide means for relieving ordiminishing the pressure of the leg band upon the leg, and provide aventilated pad for suspending the hose clasp from the band encirclingthe leg.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of myinvention, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same in use.

The band 3 encircling the leg is made either of elastic or nonelasticwebbing, as the wearer may prefer, and of the usual width for suchpurpose. The clasp a fastening the hose is one in common use, and theconstruction and operation of the same are obvious from an inspection ofthe drawing.

5 is a pad of any suitable material for suspending the hose clasp 4 fromthe leg band 3. The novelty of my device consists in pro viding anopening 6 of considerable size in the pad 5, preferably a circularopening having its edge reinforced by overseaming or by any othersuitable means, such as an eyelet or gromet. I prefer, however, tooverstitch the edge with heavy silk and thereby to form a soft as wellas a durable edge for this opening. The clasp 7 for fastening the end ofthe leg band to the pad is of usual construction, but the dimensions ofthe metal loop 7 and the button 8 on the pad are such as to provide forsecuring fabric of knitted underwear between them, as shown in Fig. 2,and yet so that the fastening will hold with or without the fabric beinginterposed. This is accomplished in the usual construction of a metalloop having an opening which is narrower at the tip than at the butt asshown.

In Fig. 2 in which the invention is illustrated in use,the underwear 9is shown upon the leg of the wearer, and a portion 10 of the same isshown drawn through the opening in the pad, and secured bet-ween button8 and the metal loop 7; the clasp 4 is also shown engaging the hose 11in the usual manner for supporting the same.

It is well known that many persons find the ordinary garter with anencircling leg band uncomfortable on account of the pres sure of theband, and in some cases to such an extent that their use has beendiscarded and various crude means have been substituted to fasten thestocking to the under wear. I find that in the use of the garter withthe band encircling the leg that if the hose is but slightly supportedupon the underwear, the pressure upon the band around the leg can berelieved sufficiently to avoid all discomfort. For this purpose, I haveprovided the opening in the pad through which can be drawn the fabric ofthe underwear to a sufficient extent to pass it over the button 8 andsecure it by the metal loop 7, thereby fastening the pad to theunderwear, so as to prevent it from slipping down. The strain of thehose on the garter is thereby distributed between the leg band and theunderwear, and the pressure of the leg band against the leg is hardlyperceptible, and not objectionable to the most sensitive wearer. I donot limit my invention to the particular means of securing the fabric tothe pad, as a variety of ways may be provided therefor, but I claimbroadly as my invention, in a garter of this character, a suspending padprovided with an opening of substantial area, however the same may beemployed.

WVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is In a garter formens Wear, a band en circling the leg, and a clasp for securing thehose, combined with a pad for suspending the clasp from the said band,said pad being provided with an opening of sufficient area to introducea fabric therethrough and means 10 Copies of this patent may be obtainedfor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,Washington, I). G.

